Academic Language Overview

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Academic Language Takeaways

Academic language is different from everyday language. Some students are not exposed to this language outside of school.

Much of academic language is discipline-specific.

Unless we make academic language explicit for learning, some students will be excluded from classroom discourse and future opportunities that depend on having acquired this language. 2

Academic LanguageAcademic language development is making the language explicit to expand students’ control over language and improve their language choices according to the purpose and audience for the message. Academic language also offers structures for developing as well as expressing explanations, evaluations, and analyses.Developing students’ fluency in academic language provides access to the “language of school” and academic success. 3

Academic Language

The purposes of Academic Language are to clearly and explicitly define, classify, analyze, explain, argue, interpret and evaluate ideas for all pupils.

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Academic LanguageLanguage for academic purposes differs greatly from every day purposesThese differences include

precisely-defined vocabulary to express abstract concepts and complex ideasmore complex grammar in order to pack more information into each sentence a greater variety of conjunctions and connective words and phrases to create coherence among multiple ideasformatting conventions, graphics and organizational titles and headings to guide understanding of textsa better-defined system of how texts are organized to achieve academic purposes 5

Academic LanguageAcademic Language also includes instructional language needed to participate in learning and assessment tasks including

discussing ideasasking questions summarizing instructional and disciplinary texts following and giving instructions explaining thinking aloud giving reasons for a point of viewwriting essays to display knowledge on tests

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Academic Language in TPAC

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Words whose technical meaning is different than everyday language: “balance” in chemistry, “plane” in mathematics, “ruler” in history/social science, “force” in science 8

Vocabulary

Connector words: and, but, because, therefore, however

Technical vocabulary: triangle, metaphor, metabolize

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Genres/Forms

Have a general structure – e.g., narratives, explanations, arguments 9

•Structure of an explanation•Description of what is being explained•Statements of cause-effect relationships•Sometimes ending with an interpretation or judgment

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Representing word problems mathematically 1

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Subject-Specific Genres/FORMS

Procedures for a science experiment

Literary interpretation

Argument proposing causes of an historical event

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Mental verbs used to express opinions: like, believe

Move from personal to impersonal voiceConnectives used for logical relations and to link points 1

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Structures of Argument Genre/FORM

Temporal connectives: first, nextCausal conditional connectives: becauseComparative connectives to introduce counterpoints: consequently, therefore

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Argument with evidence: Proposition, argument, conclusionDiscussion: statement of issue, arguments for, arguments against, recommendationElaborated discussion: statement of issue, preview of pro/con, several iterations of point/elaboration representing arguments against, several iterations of point/elaboration representing arguments for, summary, conclusion

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Structure of Arguments

(from Knapp & Watkins, 2005)Simple argument: point/proposition, elaboration

“I like The Simpsons because they make me laugh.”

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Characteristics of Advanced Academic

LanguageAbstractions: government, electron, linear equation,

acidNominalizations, verbs or adjectives becoming

nouns to enable more dense text or more cohesive text: organize into…→ this organization……were revealed. The trigger for this revelation

was…

More precise connector words and phrases, going beyond “and” or “but” to “in contrast” or “Given this, it follows that…”.

Academic Language Competencies Measured (Rubric 10)

Understanding language demands and resources for instructional emphasis

Identification of linguistic features of a genre/form/function addressed within instruction

Relation of vocabulary identified to content and to students’ academic language proficiencies

Description of student language strengths and needs 1

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Academic Language Competencies Measured (Rubric 11)

Expanding students’ academic language repertoires

Making key linguistic features related to genre purpose visible to studentsModeling vocabulary and linguistic features and providing opportunities for practice (developing fluency)(at higher levels) appropriateness of models for students at different levels of language proficiency 1

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ActivityAnalyze video for academic language using graphic organizer

http://www.learner.org/resources/series33.html

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